Choices
by the lale
Summary: Hitomi is transported back to Gaea after 4 years. But she is soon kidnapped and thrown into the whirlwind of political powers. Questions swarm Hitomi as she tries to make the right choice to save Gaea and her happiness, or destroy it all. VH


"You are to marry a very rich man, and very soon too. You are to become very popular and happy too," a peculiar looking woman said behind a very round and clear glass globe, probably wiped this morning with detergent and Kleenex. Her eyes were illuminated by the light of the globe bouncing off of her huge horn-rimmed glasses. Her dress was that of a gypsy, and she wore a shawl over her bony shoulders. Hundreds of bead necklaces hung from her thin and scrawny neck. Her small bony hand where the veins were clearly visible was holding my best friend's hand.

She certainly looked like a fortuneteller, all right. But I bet that she tells every girl that comes in the same exact thing. And she charges 20 bucks for it too! Yukari of course, will believe anything that comes out of a fortuneteller's mouth. Especially after I predicated all those things for her and they came true, every last one of them. But now, I've given up on fortune-telling all together. I never did a reading for anyone ever again. Not after what happened.

Still, Yukari spends her only allowance every week to come to fortunetellers and wastes her money. It's amazing how she got me to come today. I rarely ever came to her readings. I personally think that everything they say is just a bunch of bull. It's always the same. 'You'll marry a rich man.' Or 'You'll be popular and happy.'

Today was no difference. I sighed as Yukari listened intently, taking in everything that the fortuneteller said. I was getting bored. The only reason I had come was because there was no track practice due to the rain and Yukari begged me endlessly that I had to come. Plus, she carried an umbrella and I would hate to walk home alone, drenching wet.

Although I was seriously regretting coming today. We walked ten blocks from the school in the rain and I stepped in puddles twice. Then we had to wait on line for about half an hour until the famous fortuneteller would see us. She sure had good business. I guess you just tell everyone the same thing, especially if its good, and they'll come back for more. People are like that. They always want to hear good things about their future, even if it's just a bunch of lies.

"Ah, and what is this? I see a very handsome man in your horizon. He is definitely smart and wonderful, funny and charming. And he is in love with you. He's athletic too," the woman knew she was drawing Yukari in and what did teenage girls want to hear? Love. And this woman was definitely giving Yukari the stuff. The good looking and charming, the intelligence and good humor.

Somehow, Yukari blushed. So there was someone Yukari liked, and he must be on the track team since the woman did say athletic. Yukari is still the manager of the track team, even though we are already in college. First year of college actually. I am now 19. It's wonderful to be out of my parent's house and to be on my own. Actually, I live in my grandmother's house now. She passed away a few years before. But she left me her house and I live there with Yukari. But life is as normal as ever. Sometimes, normal seems a bit boring. I've missed Gaea but my life is here on earth.

"Well now, I think that's it for today. Come again my dear," said the fortuneteller as she collected the money from Yukari. Yukari was still blushing as she got up from the velvet chair. The room was dark but there was a light from the ceiling that fell on the little round table the fortuneteller and the customer sat at. It looked professional all right and I had never been happier to walk out of there.

"Wait, does your friend not want to do a reading?" Yukari and I both turned back to look at the old woman. She was pointing her bony finger at me.

"No thank you," was all I said as I made for the door or the curtain, which made it look so much more mysterious.

"Half off than," the woman said, afraid of losing business. I didn't know why she was so interested in telling my fortune since there were at least twenty girls waiting outside who'll pay full price.

"No thanks," but Yukari was tugging at my arm, urging me to do it.

"Free than! Come on girl. Sit down. There is no harm in having your fortune told and for free too."

Now I was getting mighty suspicious of this old lady. For free? So, against what my head was telling me, I walked over to the seat and sat down. Instead of clutching the glass globe and looking into its depths, she took it aside and placed tarot cards. They were like the ones I use to have. Quietly, she did the proper procedure, that of a professional. Ok, so maybe she wasn't a crack after all. Maybe she really was a fortuneteller.

Speaking as if in a trance, she began her chant, "Your past is filled with war and sorrow. You have witnessed many deaths, those of friends and those of enemies. You've held the power and you had the destiny to change another world. You carried responsibility and you've lived up to your fate. You've done what was asked of you."

Her eyeballs were rolled up to the back of her head. All that showed were the white. She was definitely in a trance, yet Yukari didn't seem to notice. Yukari was just standing there, listening to something pleasant. But how did this woman know so much? Yes, I've held the power to control the future of Gaea. Yes, my life was filled with war and sorrow when I was in Gaea. But how did she know?

"But you've found happiness there as well. You've grown. You learn to trust and believe. And most of all, you've learned to love. You have found love, but you've lost it again," my eyes stung at the mention of love. Van. I've left him as I've left Gaea. And I left others that I love, Merle, Allen and even Millerna.

"At the present, you live your life. Normal it may be, but you find it suffocating. You find this life to be boring, do you not?" for the first time, I was allowed to speak.

"No! Its not boring…well a little but I don't want to see war again. I don't want to see people die," the tears were flowing down my face now. I hadn't cried since I've left Gaea. But it felt good, just crying.

"Is that why you give up fortune telling? To not face war or death? Are you afraid?"

"No!" I paused as more tears came. I tried breathing in and out, deeply as my mother had taught me. I wiped the tears away from my eyes. "I don't want to read people's futures anymore. Death has come from my readings in Gaea. If my emotions get in the way of my predicting, then someone will die, because of me."

"So you are afraid. You must face your fears if you want your future to turn out as well or to even have a future."

I didn't know why this woman was telling me all this. She was under some sort of spell, that of a magicians. She gave me this reading for free and yet she didn't give me the regular mumbo jumbo about marrying a rich and handsome guy. No, there was something more to this. How did she know everything about me? Is this some sort of trick, from Gaea? I did not know anyone on this earth who had magical powers. But what scared me was how accurate she was. She got right to the point of things. I was scared to do more readings. But why was I telling her so willingly? I haven't even told my best friend why.

"Your future is unclear but from what is to be seen, you are at the pathway of decisions. Some will be bad choices that will lead to disaster and far worse than death, and yet others will lead to happiness. It is your place to chose for you will hold the power to control the fate of the world again. Beware!"

I swear I heard thunder struck not far away as she said the last word. It must have been the weather but I wasn't sure. Suddenly, the lights went out. I jumped in my seat. What had this woman just said? My future? To have the fate of the world in my hands again? To make choices? But none of these were possible. I could not get to Gaea anymore. I use to be able to see Van, sometimes just a play with my eyes but lately, for the last year, there has been no trace of him.

"What has happened?" staring up, the old woman realized there was no light and hurried over to the switch. Miraculously, the light turned on. The woman got back into her seat but her eyes were regular now. The eyeballs were back where they belong and she didn't seem to have any recollection of what has happened. Neither does Yukari as she looked down at me.

"NEXT!" the woman yelled and a red headed girl stepped into the crowded room. With one last glance at the old woman, I left the little shop with a lot on my mind.

Walking in the rain was no fun, especially without an umbrella. Yukari left me to go back to school because she said she had left something in the lockers. I hurried home, running as the rain patted down on my shoulders. As I crossed the bridge, the waters shot up from the creek and splashed against it. Then, I saw it. It was a single white feather, as beautiful as those of Van's. I stopped running. I held my breath as I walked to the feather, which was drifting back and forth in the air. I put my hand forward and grabbed it. It felt as soft as Van's and looked just like his.

"Van…" I whispered.

I couldn't see as a white light blinded me from everything. I held on to the feather as I closed my eyes. The white light was so warm as I bathed in it and the rain stopped. I felt like I was flying through the sky. And then…everything went black.

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My first Escaflowne fic. I know its not that wonderful but please review. Helpful critism is needed.


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